Apparatus for filling containers with liquids, pastes, or discrete material



2,388,036 QUIDS,

5 Sheets-Sheet l BINGHAM LLING CONTAINERS WITH LI PASTES, OR DISCRETE MATERIAL Filed May 20, 1941 APPARATUS FOR FI Oct. 30, 1945.

INVENTOR D. W.BINGHAM ATT'YS.

Oct. 30, 1945. D. w. BINGHAM I 2,338,035

APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH LIQUIDS,

PASTES, 0R DISCRETE MATERIAL Filed May20, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q r INVENTOR 'D.W.B|Nc HAM ATTY3.

D. w. BINGHAM 2,388,036

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 30, 1945,

APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH LIQUIDS PASTES, OR DISCRETE MATERIAL Filed May 20, 1941 5NVENTOR Oct. 30, 1945. w BINGHAM 2,388,036

APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH LIQUIDS,

PASTES, 0R DISCRETE MATERIAL Filed May 20, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Um mm: W

' INVENTOR D.\/\l. BINGHAM 3*! Wm? @2 2; and)? AT T V3.

Oct. 30, 1945. D. w. BINGHAM 2,388,035

' APPARATU OR FILLI CONTAINERS WITH LIQUIDS,

TES, 0R CRETE MATERIAL Filed May 20, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 //YVENTOE DAV/0 W fi/NGHAM WVW A rroznvs porting structure.

Patented Oct. 30, 1945 APPARATU FOR FILIiING CONTAINERS WITHLIQUIDSJPA'STES, R DISCRETE MA+ ,Davia William.-;Bingham,:Middle'Brighton, Victoria,iAustr-a1ia ipplicattion May20, 1941, "serial'No. 394, 372 In Australia June7,I9'40 i i-Claims. (craze-.99)

This invention "relates to apparatus for automatically filling containers "with substances such as liquids, pastes or discrete .material has particularjre feren'ceto apparatus which is adapted forixitroduclng predetermined quantities of .such substancesintothe'containers; f

Accordirifg to 'a prior proposal an endless 'conve yor is adapted "to move the containers to "be filled beneath an associated reservoir and -filling head. Inthis known type of machineg the-"oper ating mechanism and main "supply reservoir are positioned above "theiconveyorthus causing inconvenience whilst the excessive weight "and ,blllk thereof requires a "massive and expensive sup- "Furthermor e, as the filling head occupies a flxedpositiomdt isn'e'c'essary to provide means for intermittentlym'ovingthe conveyor in order that "containers carried thereby may be'suc'cessively Positionedbeneaththe filling head. This {known type "of apparatus did not prove tb'be 'entirelyfsatisfactory in .'practice *in that the delivery offthematerialintdthecontain ers could'pno't be effectedwiththe desired degree of precision,p0rtion o'f'the material? beingattimes deposited upon the conveyor, with the resultant waste of the material, and incomplete filling of containers. r

Another known type of "apparatus includes a reservoir, a filling nozzle adapted to move in an arcuate path about (one of the return. ends "of a continuously moving endle'ss .c'on'veyo'r and a remotely positioned "measuring device associated therewith. In this known machine, theeontainers are .delivered onto "the 'moving conveyor and as each container approaches "one cifthe return ends of the conveyor itpasses .beneaththe'iillin nozzle whichis caused]to'moveiin'anarcuate.palth and follow the, container around the;return end of .the conveyor whilst introducing material into the container. Inthis caseit Was found that'a control valve of the measuring "device 'co-operating with the supply "reservoir in being remotely positionedfrom'thefilling'nozzle,rendered the'delivery of the material uncontrollable-to the -"precise degree required, owing to the relatively-large quantityofmaterial rtain'ed in the delivery pipe or "tube between the control valve and the filling nozzle.

One :of theiobj ectszofi theipresent invention is to provide "a simplified =Iorm :of apparatus for automaticaliy filling containers with 1iquids,;pastes or discrete material whereby a -more .precisepr accurate delivery of measured quantities .of such materials from the flilling-head of the-apparatus is obtained.

,Anotherl'object of ithednvention is to provide improved apparatus ofthe kindiin'dicated which is or simplified design in that aminimum nuniber of .parts arehisposed above an endless conveyor thus 'providing'a compact construction of reduced size-and weight as compared withk'nownapparatus of the-type before mentioned.

A-furtheriobject of thei nverition is to ,provide, in apparatusidf the kind "indicated, improved clutch means adapted to ensure synchronization offmovemen't between the various .parts er the mechanism employed foreffe'ctin'g delivery 'dfthe material into theeontainer'sand an endless conveyor carrying said containers.

i A s'tillfurther objetofitheiinventionis toi'prb- Vide in apparatus of-the kind indicated, asimjple automatic control mechanism associated "with "a main clutch means'wherebythepossibility of m'aterial being dro ped upon the rconveyo "instead or irito a'colntainer, isieithereliniinated oriat least reduced to .aminimum.

. .The, above and other objects'andconstructional features .of the invention will, however, be more readily apparent from j the following description which rel'atesby' wayof exampleto oneflpractical embodimentth'ereof. N j

Reiferringto thefdrawin'g'sfwhich formpart of this specification-+ Figure isia part sectionalelevation of apparatusfor 'filling 'containers in"accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. L

Figure 2 is.asectionalelevation onan"en1arged scale of afilling headand "the "parts associated therewith.

Figure 3 is afragrn'entaryplan' of the 'partsf'seen inFi'gure 2.

Figure ,4 :is "a sectional plan view taken on the line IV- IV of Figure 1, parts being omitted for convenience of illustration. r

'Figure'B is 'a sectional elevation taken on the line V-V of Figure 1.

Rig. 6 shows on a larger scale'details df'a clutch mechariismin the apparatus, in'cross-"sectionat vI-v1;c 'rFig.4. g

' "Fig. 7 is'an'elevation'al view of the'details shown in'Eigjfi. V

Figs.8 and9 are perspective views of'elements of'thesaid details.

According to the invention, the improved apparatus includes a main supporting 'frameor casing .zwhich also'serves asahousin'gforthe driving mechanism hereinafter referred to, la feeding head3 disposed above'the'supporting "frame, a supplyhopper or the like-4 f or .the feeding'head, and an endless conveyors having a substantially 'Figs. 4 and 5.

' cent to the outer end of the cylinder and associated with a control Valve l2 which may be of the oscillatory type in order to open and close the ports as hereinafter described. a

The endless conveyor 6 is positioned in close proximity to and immediately beneath the discharge or outlet port I l of the feeding head and a feature of the invention is the provision in the improved apparatus, of means whereby the feeding head has an oscillatory or a reciprocatory movement imparted thereto in a direction substantially lengthwise of the endless conveyor. The feeding head 3 is thus caused to successively follow each container l3 carried by the conveyor and introduce material into the container whilst it is beneath the feeding head whereupon the latter is returned to its original position for filling the next following container.

The feeding head is preferably supported in a substantially horizontal attitude by a bracket or the like l4 connected toa sleeve 16 which is mounted] upon the upper end portion of a main driving shaft l1 upstanding from the supporting frame. A suitable bearing l8 may be positioned between the top of the frame 2 and the sleeve 16.

In order to accommodate different sized cone tainers l3, a means, is provided for effecting relative adjustment between the filling head .3 and theconveyor B. For this purpose the aforesaid bracket M'and the parts associated therewith may be carried by an adjustable support such as a plate l9 on a plurality of upstanding posts 20 which are slidable lengthwise in bearings 20a on the supporting frame and have screw threads thereon. The posts 20 are formed with screw threads. 20b on portions thereof, which threads engage nuts 20cwhich are capable of rotation but are stationary in the axial direction of the posts. The ,nuts have external teeth engaging gears 2| on a cross shaft 2 I a joumalled in bearings in the casing 2 and manually rotatable by meansof a handwheel 22 thereon, see

7 The means for oscillating the filling head 3 as aforesaid, may comprise a main driving cam 23 connected to the upper end of the main driving shaftv l1, and an intermediately pivoted rocker arm 24, one end of which may be connected by a link 26 to oneside. of the cylinder 1 of the filling head, whilst the opposite end of the rocker arm carries a roller 21 which is adapted to be accommodated within a cam .track. 28on the main cam. The rocker arm may be mounted uponthe aforesaid plate l9., r

During rotation of the main cam 23 the rocker arm 24 is actuated and this causes'the filling head 3 to oscillate about the maindriving shaft IT. The arrangement is such that the discharge port ll of the filling head is caused .to oscillate along an arcuate path above the conveyor. When the discharge port is located at the front end of this path it registers with a container l3 and moves forward at the same rate as that of the conveyor whilst the container is being filled. The shapeof the cam track 28 is such that when the opposite end of the arcuate path is reached the filling head 3 is rapidly returned for fill ng the next successive container.

The aforesaid inlet and outlet ports 9, H and associated control valve I2 of the filling head are located adjacent to the outer end of the cylinder 1 as in Figure 2 of the drawings. The valve I2 is preferably of the oscillatory type and the means foroscillating the valve may consist of a system of cam actuated'linkage 3| carried by the cylinder.

The valve actuating means may include a lever arm or crank 32 pivotally mounted as at 33 for instance on the sleeve I6 and a roller 34 adapted to co-operate with one or more cam members 36.

on the main cam 23, whereby rotation of the latter causes the lever arm to rock and thus oscillate the valve. If desired two of such cam members 36 may be employed and said pair of cam members may be arranged in such a manner that one cam member engages the roller on one side whilst the other cam member subsequently engages the roller on'the other side, thus positively opening and closing the discharge port ll of the filling headr As the improved apparatus is adapted for use. with materials of widely varied consistencies ranging from say liquids of low viscosity to substances of paste consistency or even granular material, a means may be provided whereby the degree of movement of the valve may be readily controlled. For this purpose, the connections between the lever arm- 32 and a connecting rod forming part of the linkage3l may be of an adjustable character. As indicated in Figure 2, such connection may comprise a sleeve 31 and adjustable nuts 38 so that the effective length of the connecting rod may be varied in accordance with requirements.

Reciprocation of the piston 8 within the'cylinder 1 may be effected by a quick-return device 4| carried by the main cam and pivoted to the piston connecting rod. The quick-return device may comprise a slotted arm- 42 extending transversely of and pivoted as at 43 to the pistonrod." the arm being also pivotally connected as at 44 to the aforesaid stationary plate IS. The slot or guideway 46 formed in the arm is adapted'to accommodate a slide member 41 on a cranklpin 41a carried by themain cam, rotation of which causes the slide member to describe a circular path and simultaneously reciprocate within the slot whereby the arm 42 oscillates about its pivot 44 and reciprocates the associated piston. v

If desired, a screw device 41b or any other suitable means may be employed. for varying the effective distance between the crankpin 47a and the cam shaft l1. i 1

In order to regulate the amount of filling material'discharged during each forward, stroke on the piston 8, a means is provided forvarying the 48 as indicated more clearly in Figure 3 of thedrawings.

.The clutch device 5| is of any suitable striker operated type. For example, the driving-clutch member 5la, Fig. 1 and Fig. 4, may be freely mounted upon the shaft 52 and be connected to the larger of the gears 45, while the driven clutchmember 5lb, Fig. 5, may be slidably keyed to the clutch shaft and engageable by a striker as hereinafter described so that the clutch members may be separated when it is desired to interrupt the drive.

lllheidri-veforvthelmain zshaft l-1is preferably housed within the supporting :casing and [may comprise gearing 45, 45a actuated by an-electric motor -.or the ilike 14:9 and .a container actuated clutch device I. This clutch i-is =m'ounted *upon a transverse driving or clutch sshaft :521carrying albevel gear 53 meshing with :a similar gear .54 keyedto the main drive shafml-l:insuch=a mannor that the shaft 2'1 may slide freely through the gear 54 :during lvertical adjustment :of the fllling phead. lllhe zclutch device -:5| has: a driving clutchmemberA -Eigs. 4,6 and r7,:freely;mounted uponthe shaft-Mend connected tolthe wormgear Ma, while the -.driven clutch member :5 l b, Fig. 5, is l-slidably pkeyed to the clutch shaft 152 land senageableaby ;a striker as hereinafter .described so that-the :c1utch-members may be:separated when it .dsdesired toeinterrupt the ldrive. The aforesaid l-conveyortfi is also preferably .drivenifrom the-common .clutch shaft :52. :For instance, the shaft smay (be provided with .a toothed Wheel .56 connected bya chain drive :with :oneof theconveyor :shafts. .51, thus providing amommon drive and l synchronism in movement between the ..forward travel of the conveyor *6, the oscillatory movement of the filler head .3, the .reciprocatory movementpf the piston 8 within tits cylinder 1 and theeoscillatory movementof the control valve I; ;associated therewith.

.lln cornbination with thefforegoinga means is provided for preventing delivery of imaterialifrom the filler. head13 should. a: containerqnot'be'located in its operative position on the conveyor. .For this purpose, :a -.clutch actuating means may be associated withtthe .conveyor .6 to automatically actuate-the clutch device :5! and stop .thel-machine in accordance withrequirements. :Saidrdeclutching means is also preferably :adaptedzin any suitable manner for manual operationxfrom ithe exteriorof the-supporting casing.

.The aforesaid automatic :clutch actuating means lincludesa wtrip cam 45" \rotatable day :a spring Ma and adapted -.to :be engaged by the spacedacontainers on .the conveyor. :A spindle 62 depends'frorn the trip-cam and mounted 'on said spindle :is-a forked @or slotted lever :63 engaging .aspin 64 carried by=a longitudinally-movable slotted barfifi.

lSaid bar ,carries a stopepiece 6:1 and passing t through .the slot in the bar is rag-longitudinally movable rod 68 one-end of which ;is.located :adjac entthe StODvDiQCB and has a-shoulder, .=f.or in. stance, .one or more nuts, '69, for engaging the stop while the opposite end of the .rod 16.8 aisiprovided with a pin H adapted to slide inla slot formed in.-a ;pivoted lever 12 carrying a roller 3113 which isadaptedto follow-a cam track onialclutch cam 1A which iscarried by the clutch shaft .52. This;oam trackhas aarecessed portion-1.5 (Fig.6). u lllhe lever I2 is pivotally connectedr'by .a pin 12a atoradjacent toione end to a latch bar pivoted to the machine .frame at 12a adapted .to bedifted aboutitspivot byrailug ll onthe lever 12 The opposite end of the [latch bar is .;provided with a, recess 18 which is adaptedto z-accommodate a primaryshoulder 19 .formed on one end of a pivoted trigger plate-.81 carried zbyia block .86 hereinafter referred to, the opposite end of which trigger plate is provided with-a secondary shoulder 82 which in .turnis-a'dapted to cooperate with a stop 83 vonan oscillatable spindle 84 fitted withan operating :handle (not :shown) which maybe employed for manuallydeclutchingithe drivinglmechanism.

The .block 86 is freely mounted on the spindle in :a :'slot formed :in the outer faced :a 'driving plate A:.of the'clutch ldevi-ce, :se'eFigsmG and 7. mhe lplaterAzisiast to=the worm wheel 4501 which is lidleaonfithe iclutch shaft :52 tand :spring-..C iurges the key. B into engagement with the driving iplate A. When the machine is to be stopped because of absence of a can, the nose :of the :striker '81 enters the :slotaof the key -B andforcesitagainst tn'emressure iOf spring .0, lto-the positionsshown in 16, thus declutchin-g the ,-plate A and worm gear 545 from the :shaft :52 "and disconnecting the drivefromzthe :mainzshaft |Tl,;sinc;e:the worm gear a isdoiose on the-shafti52. tension :spring 'B8,-extends 'between and is connected at its opposite ends-to the aforesaid pivoted lever 12 :and the pivoted trigger plate '8 I, said pi-voted lever .andthe ltriggerplate being{disposed-atroppositesides of th'ezCllltCh cam 14. The tension spring tends to :hold the :-roller ifollower 1.3 in positive engagement with the clutch cam face and, in :addition, maintains :the primary shoulder 18 of the trigger -plate :in the -.recess #18 formed in .theilatchbar. {Ihe recessed -end of the latchabar x16121150 has a rSpI'ing .-infiuenced link :89 zpivoted (thereto, the opposite-end=of the=link.-having.a laterallyxextende ing :finger =91 adapted :to engage with a second stop :92 on the ,oscillatable spindle 4. -"A [spring 39a mayzextend between the link -89and;a;part ofithe-machineeframe.

In use, containers |3 tto be filled:are :placedron the 'conveyorafi in predetermined spaced. relationship iin-such a manner that they extend lfrom :the feed end of the conveyor to a position over :which the :feeding header) .is at rest, such :position being at the forward :end 10f its arcuate .zmovement.

When the imachine .is .stationary, the roller :10]-

lower :13 is in its cam 'recesse15, the shoulder $19 and recess l'lzfiezare disengaged, the shoulder 82 is engaged with the stop 83 and the spring 8 functions to swing the .block 86 and tits: "trigger plate 8| bodily about the spindle :84 and :thus maintain the striker .arm $8 1 .in r engagement with the -keyBofthaclutchdevice 5.1 forldisengagin g 1 the.clutch.

l hemachine =is 1now set in operation by. swinging the manually operated starting lever. sozas ito partially =rotate its associated .oscillatableispindle84 wherebytheblock-BB and the trigger platie {ll are moved bodily =.until disengajged from :the stop on .the roscillatable spindle and the primary shoulder lais engaged by thexlatch bar i'lfizunder the influence of the associated spring 119a, and the shoulder E82 -is disengaged :from the stop :83. Such movements disengage \the striker arm r81 from the key 3- :and permitpit to automatically engage the plate A rsoqas to connect the :drive gear-4 5a to the shaft 5-2 and thereby =act-uatezthe conveyor andeedingheadin unison.

While the apparatus lcontinues :to :operate :iin the normal manner, the :aforesaid ttrip cam d! functions to maintain the striker :arm .8! out of engagement with the.-clutch members by reason of the :fact that the trip roam tis constantly engaged bylthe:passing:containersiand is thus prevented from "returning ztoeits inoperative *position acrossathezconveyorias in Fig-4.

' forward slowly, while maintaining the discharge port II in vertical alignment with one of the containers, the control valve [2 having been automatically opened as aforesaid for filling the container during such forward movement of the feeding head.

When the feeding head 3 approaches the limit of its forward movement, the discharge stroke,

of the piston 8 is completed, whereupon the dis charge port II is automatically closed and the filling head is rapidly returned to its initial position. During this quick return movement, the piston is retracted for filling the cylinder with a predetermined quantity of the material being delivered to the containers.

It will be appreciated that the effective stroke of the piston may be varied in accordance with the size of the containers being filled simply by adjustment of the aforesaid screw device 48.

In the event, however, of incorrect feeding of containers to the conveyor resulting in the abs'e'nce of a container from its correct position on the conveyor, the trip cam 6 [functions to release the aforesaid stop 61 from engagement with its associated shoulder 69 on the longitudinally movable rod 68 and thus permits the spring 88 to maintain the roller 13 on the pivoted lever 12 in. effective engagement with the clutch cam 14 so that during rotation thereof, the roller is free to enter the recess 15 on said cam, and thereby trip the striker arm 81 into engagement with the clutch members. The latter are thereupon automatically disengaged and the machine is stopped.

The tripping mechanism is designed so as to ensure that the filling head occupies its delivery commencement position when stoppage of the machine takes place as aforesaid. Operation of the apparatus is resumed by manual actuation of the hand lever which rotates its spindle 84 for releasing the declutching striker 81 from the clutch shaft dog or key.

The material supply reservoir or hopper 4 may be remote from the feeding head and connected to the inlet port 9 of the head by a flexible hose or like connection 91. The hopper may have any suitable agitating means associated therewith and in order to permit of the oscillatory movement of theattached feeding head, the flexible hose may be provided with a sinuous section for connection to the feeding head. Such sinuous hose section is of a flexible character so as not to interfere with the swinging movements of the feeding head.

In order to ensure effective opening and closing of the aforesaid discharge port ll of the feeding head it is desirable to prevent any vibratory or like movement in the operative connections between the oscillatory control valve l2 and its actuating roller 34. For this purpose an adjustable damping device such for example as a series of plate springs and associated washers 98 may be fitted to the spindle 33 so as to hold it steady between its oscillatory movements.

Various modifications, alterations, and/or additions may be incorporated in the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

'Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for automatically filling contain ers with liquids, pastes or discrete material, comprising a supporting frame, a container conveyor carried thereby and movable in a straight line path, an oscillatory feeding head overhanging said conveyor and having a discharge port, a control valve therefor, actuating mechanism for said head, a common support upon which said head and mechanism are mounted so as to form a unitary assembly carried by said supporting frame, means for raising and'lowering said assembly bodily in relation to said conveyor, and driving means for operating said conveyor and actuating mechanism in unison, said driving means including an upstanding driving shaft about which the feeding head oscillates in an arcuate path overlapping a portion of the straight linepath of the conveyor, a main driving cam on said shaft, said cam having a cam track and a rocker arm on said common support actuated by said cam track and which is operatively con nected to said feeding head, said cam track being of such a shape that the operation of the 'rocker arm'thereby will cause the feeding head to move forward at the same speed as the conveyor during feeding of eachcontainer and the return movement of the feeding head to be more rapid in order to bring the discharge port into registry with the next following container on the conveyor.

2. Apparatus for automatically filling containers with liquids, pastes or discrete material, comprising a supporting frame, a container conveyor carried thereby and movable in a straight line path, an oscillatory feeding head overhanging said conveyor and having a discharge port, a control valve therefor, actuating mechanism for said head, means for oscillating the feeding head above said conveyor in an arcuate path overlapping a portion of the straight line path of said conveyor, means for automatically actuating said control valve during said oscillatory movements to open the valve for feed of material into the containers during movement of the feeding head in the same direction as the conveyor in said overlapping portion of their paths and to close the valve during the movement of the feeding head in the opposite direction, and driving means for the oscillating means and valve actuating means said driving means including a shaft about which said head oscillates, a cam on said shaft, said cam having a cam track and a rocker arm actuated by said cam track and which is operatively connected to said feeding head, said cam track being of such a shape that the operation of the rocker arm thereby will cause feeding head to move forward at the same speed as the conveyor during feeding of each container and the return movement of the feeding head to be more rapid in order to bring the discharge port into registry with the next following container on the conveyor.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the slide member in said slot, and cam mechanism pivotally connected to said slide member to oscillate said am.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the feeding head includes a cylinder, a. piston and rod reciprocating within said cylinder to discharge material into the containers, means for varying the efiective stroke of said piston, and a quick return device for actuating said piston comprising a, slotted arm extending transversely of 10 and pivotally connected to the rod of the piston said arm being pivoted at one end on the feeding head and having a longitudinal slot therein, a slide member in said slot, cam mechanism pivotally connected to said slide member to oscillate said arm, and means for adjusting the pivotal connection between the piston rod and the slotted arm lengthwise of said arm.

DAVID WILLIAM BINGHAM. 

